But I Choose Life 2
by Zane's Girlfriend
Summary: I grab onto the bars of the railing and climb over it. My stomach feels giddy at such a height of seventy-five floors, but I'm determined to do it. It's all over. What was I thinking when I said to Gabe I wanted to live? It was foolish. Rated T for character death, injury, and Jaya fluff. Not a one-shot!
1. Prologue

Prologue

I grab onto the bars of the railing and climb over it.

My stomach feels giddy at such a height of seventy-five floors, but I'm determined to do it.

It's all over.

What was I thinking when I said to Gabe I wanted to live?

It was foolish.

I should have chosen death at that very moment without hesitation and I would have already been at peace.

Despite the vision of the Underworld, I don't want to live anymore.

It's not worth it.

Nya cannot love someone like me someone so messed up.

My brothers shouldn't forgive me for what I did.

Why did I strive to stay in this miserable world of pain and suffering?

I deserve the Underworld.

I deserve death.

I deserve to suffer worse things.

I deserve it all and now I will pay.

"Come back, please!" Nya screams from behind me.

I can feel the tears flowing freely from my eyes and feel a gust of wind hitting my face.

I cannot turn back.

I cannot bear to see her suffer.

I cannot bear to look back lest I change my mind.

I must jump before Zane catches up to me.

I draw in a deep breath and yell, "I'm sorry, Nya. I love you."

I jump.

"Jay!" Zane's pained voice reaches my ears.


	2. Chapter 1: Maimed

Chapter 1

Maimed

**A/N: Thank you RapidstarJ, Firelce, I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, Kat (Guest), Astrid16, and jaya forever (Guest) for your fantastic reviews! :)**

Pixal and Nya are fighting off the other Lacerators, and here I am, lying in my bed with another one over me, her claw raised over my head.

She swipes and I catch her forearm, opening my mouth to call for the others when I realize my mistake.

Her right claw slices.

I look as if this is slow motion, and see red spewing in the air, and a pink piece of flesh or something drops in front of my feet.

Pain.

I scream, covering my mouth as blood gushes out and seeps through my fingers, more than I have ever seen in my life.

"Jay!" Nya cries.

"What happened?" Pixal asks, but glances down at what came out.

My tongue.

White, hot pain sears through what-had-been part of my tongue and I let it all out.

I can't believe the scream is mine.

It's unearthly and it just hurts so much.

The door opens and the reptilian retreats while Lloyd and Cole pursue it.

"Jay!" Zane and Kai yell out in unison, rushing to my bedside.

"His tongue was severed!" Pixal informs them over my screeching.

"Jay, are you hurt anywhere else?" Zane inquires.

My mind reels frantically and I scream even louder if that's possible.

_Just get me to the hospital and make it stop!_

_ It hurts! _

_AH! _

_Make it stop that Son of the Overlord! _

_Just make it stop!_

_ Hurry up, please!_

"He's in too much pain!" Kai yells over me.

"We need to get him to the hospital, now!" Nya cries,

"Jay, Honey? You…"

Zane scoops me up in his strong arms and I feel a horrible throb replace the searing pain.

My throat feels dry and scratches as I strain with my solid screaming, soon dying to a feeble moan that escapes my blood-permeated lips.

The wooden floor changes to cement and soon…blackness.

"Jay? Jay, can you hear me?" a dreamy voice floats in my mind.

"Jay, Honey?" another voice calls me.

"Leave him. He needs rest," someone speaks softly.

"Will he be okay?"

"He will survive, but he will never be the same."


	3. Chapter 2: Hospital

Chapter 2

Hospital

**A/N: Thank you Astrid16, jaya forever (Guest), I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, StuffyJinx, FireIce, and Kat (Guest) for your lovely reviews! I will reply on here for anyone who can't receive PM's and I will PM for everyone who can. :)**

**In addition, after the third one I am going to return to my original format of around a thousand (maybe two thousand when I have enough time) words per chapter. :D**

**Astrid 16: Lol. It was a dream.**

**jaya forever: Thank you!**

**Kat: Names with couples…it's fun! Thank you!**

_I won't ever be the same? _

_How?_

"How?" the voice inquires frantically.

Silence.

"He won't ever be able to speak again."

_This is just a nightmare. _

_All of this is._

I see a bit of white light that instantly goes black again.

I'm now on the sidewalk, watching Nya cross the busy road with a red suitcase in hand.

She's near the airport, with her back turned to me.

A black truck's horns blare and I bolt toward the girl in red, pushing her away from the vehicle.

Pain.

I'm on the asphalt and my eyes are shut.

"Jay, Honey? Jay?" I hear her call me, feeling my painful body being lifted onto something warm.

I open my eyes and Nya gasps, cradling me in her lap. "Jay?"

"Hey," I respond, my throat starting to drown in blood and I choke, "Sorry I was so self-imposing."

She cries and I want to wipe the tears away, but I'm too weak to even lift my hand.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't consider how you felt. I love you, Jay. I love you. Don't leave me!" she pleads, crying hard. It hurts to see her this way and she buries her face in my chest, sobbing.

"Nya," I gather up my final bits of strength and reach for her hand and she takes it.

She's so warm, so gentle that as I feel death closing its fingers around my throat I feel…happy.

_At least now she won't have to choose, right?_

"Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"I lied. I don't love Cole. I love you. Will you forgive me?"

"Silly girl. Of course I forgive you," I choke and see those amber eyes staring at me, and Nya's beautiful face as the world fades away.

The last thing I see before I leave here.

The last thing I hear is, "I love you."

_Even after death_, I finish.

I stand up and touch Nya as she sobs over my…body. I'm looking at my ashen face, my dead form on the asphalt.

_Okay, this is definitely a dream._

"Jay?" I hear another voice next to my ear.

Nya's, but she's down below crying.

A reptilian materializes before me with bright, blue scales, its green eye flashing a deadly look at me.

It swipes an enormous claw at me and I open my mouth to scream. "

Jay, Honey? Please wake up! _Wake up_!" I hear this familiar, rhythmic beep.

My eyes fly open and I sit up, but quickly recoil.

I lay my head back down on something soft, probably my blue pillow in the academy.

No.

I see Nya's worried face bent over me, shoulder-length hair falling in front of her and behind her is lots of white.

_Wait! Since when has Nya had hair that long? _

I hear distant beeps and white materializes in front of me.

"Jay! He's awake!" the samurai announces.

My tongue hurts a lot and my chest aches something fierce.

Nya's crying, sitting in her seat next me.

I'm in a hospital room, with an IV needle in my arm that hurts a lot, and my head is spinning.

"How are you feeling?" Zane inquires.

Everyone else gives him a fierce look and Zane stares at me, his eyes wet.

He seems really upset by something.

"Ugh," I say, and realize something is completely wrong.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror across from me.

I open my mouth and scream.


	4. Chapter 3: Information

Chapter 3

Information

**A/N: Thank you RapidstarJ, jaya forever (Guest), WhiteColor, Astrid16, and I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever for your awesome reviews!**

**The chapter after this is going back to the original format! :D Yay!**

**jaya forever (Guest): Thank you! :) That's really sweet!**

**Astrid16: It's okay. :) That's my fault for not making it clear. :P I don't think so, but I may be wrong. You shall see..now! XD**

"AH!" I scream.

_What happened?_

_Son of the Overlord!_

_Where is it?_

_It's gone!_

_No!_

_This can't be happening!_

_Overlord, Overlord, Overlord!_

_It's really gone!_

"Jay, what's the matter?" Nya asks frantically.

Zane firmly grabs my arms and pins me down with immense strength.

"Get the doctors!" he yells.

_I don't want the doctors!_

_I want an explanation!_

_Why is my tongue gone?_

Cole exits the room and Kai bolts after him with rapid steps as I wrench an arm away from Zane.

He grabs me again as I stop screaming.

_I mouth the words, "What is going on?"_

"You were injured by a Lacerator," he responds, his face grim, but also sad.

He's my only way of communicating right now, being able to read lips, and I don't remember what happened anyway.

_"__What's that?" I mouth._

"You…don't remember?"

I shake my head.

The others exchange glances, seeming quite worried and Lloyd gets out of his chair across from my bed.

"How could you not? You didn't even sound like a human, you were in so much pain," he says softly.

"Lloyd, sit down," Kai pulls him back in his seat.

_"__What's going on?" I mouth to Zane._

"You lost your tongue."

_"__I know that, but how and what was I doing?"_

"Um…what's the last thing you remember?" Zane inquires.

_"__Nya telling me that they were responding to an emergency and I would stay with you."_

Zane's icy, blue eyes widen, looking quite alarmed at what just told him.

'That was right before the first attack."

"What's going on, guys?" Nya asks.

Zane turns to her. "He said the last thing he remembered was you telling him you all were going on a mission."

"No, that can't be."

Zane turns back to me, his eyes now quite teary and he clutches his arm with a pained face.

_"__What happened exactly? Are you hurt?"_

"I'm fine. You were attacked by reptiles."

_"__Uh…Serpentine?" I mouth._

"No, Lacertors. They'll be after you again if we don't protect you."


	5. Chapter 4: A Grim Announcement

Chapter 4

A Grim Announcement

**A/N: Thank you Astrid16, WhiteColor, I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, and StuffyJinx for your awesome reviews! In case anyone is confused about this, here is what happened:**

**Prologue: This skips time and Jay is jumping off a building.**

**Chapter 1: We go back to where I left off Jay getting attacked by Lacerators.**

**Chapter 2: The lightning ninja dreams of several strange things and wakes up.**

**Chapter 3: He freaks out and has Amnesia.**

_"__What are they?" I mouth._

"You don't need to know," Zane responds after a moment's hesitation.

_"__You're dang wrong, Frosty! If my life's in peril, I have every right to know!"_

"I'll tell you a bit of what's going on. You've been asleep for a week and can be discharged tomorrow since you've awoken. You were attacked by several of the creatures and one of them cut off your tongue."

_"__Why and how?" I demand, growing impatient._

"Jay now's not the time."

_"__You're wrong! I need to know, now!"_

I grab his arm and shake him, but I hear a snap. Zane wrenches away and bites his lip, stifling a groan. _Serves him right!_

"Jay, don't touch his arm!" Nya snaps at me and rolls his left sleeve up, showing a silver forearm with a slit down the center.

"It's aright. He did not know," Zane says, wincing.

"I'll have to repair you again, and perhaps I can put a cast on your arm to make it look like it's broken. That way, no one will touch it."

Zane nods. "Technically, it is broken."

Now I feel bad for getting so nasty and stare at the white bed sheets in shame. I raise my head find him staring at me with sad, blue eyes, filled with pain.

_"__I'm sorry."_

"It's alright, really," Zane smiles ever so slightly.

_"__What happened to your arm and why is everyone dressed in black?" I inquire._

His expression sinks into one of deeper sorrow. Come to think of it, everyone seems that way, even Nya, and I believe I know why. "Well…we went to a funeral."

I glance around for confirmation to find the others giving Zane a look. _"Who's?"_

Zane opens his mouth and lets it linger that way as silent tears flow down his cheeks, more than I've ever seen him cry. This cannot be good. "Sensei's," Kai speaks up.

That's ridiculous. He was fine when I last saw him, which was a week ago. _"You're pulling my leg."_

Zane shakes his head solemnly. "I wish I was, Jay, but no. We buried him at the main graveyard in Ninjago City."

_No…Sensei is dead? "How?"_

"He…saved Zane from a huge shipment of bricks at a construction site," Lloyd tells me.

The door bursts opens and several doctors come in with Cole and talk to the others, but I don't care. Sensei can't be gone. I put my head in my hands and sob. _Why? Why did he have to die, of all people? He was so kind, such a wonderful, loving old man. Why him?_

People are grabbing my arms and pinning me down, but I don't resist. _How could he have died? He died. He really did die. I can't believe it; he just died like that, while I slept peacefully. Poor Zane must be blaming himself for what happened. I miss Sensei. I want him back! Maybe I can get him back somehow._

There's a needle in my arm and I feel my head spinning. I can feel also the world drifting away.

No P.O.V.

After that was over, Zane, Kai, Nya, Pixal, and Cole returned to the academy, whilst Lloyd remained to watch over Jay. The ice ninja sits on the table and Pixal is working on his arm with a welder while the others sit in the living room.

In a few hours, Jay awakes feeling a bit sick, yet well enough to get up and pulls the IV needle out. He goes to the closet, Lloyd having fallen asleep, and changes into his blue gi. He slips out of the room, careful not startle his brother, and ambles down the hallway, hoping no one speaks to him lest they take notice his missing tongue.

He makes it to the elevator, yet when he notices the crowd gathered inside he takes the stairs, with only one thought in mind: bring Sensei back. Of course the idea is absurd, although there may be a solution in the lightning ninja's mind that may do precisely what he intends. Once he reaches the fist floor he quickens his pace a bit, but before he can reach the exit, several guards in black suits with earpieces stop him.

The tallest, a Korean man, holds a hand in front of him. "Stand with your hands on the back of your head. We need to check you for weapons," he says.

_Okay, something is up. _Jay does what he is told and the man pats him down. Finding a throwing dart in his, the guard looks down at the lightning ninja suspiciously.

"We need to see your identification please," he holds out a hand. Jay fishes in his pockets and produces his wallet; then hands over his driving license.

The man examines it and hands it back, whilst Jay puts it away, giving the guard a nod. "It's an honor to meet you, Jay Walker. My daughter's a big fan of you." _He seems far quieter than his reputation gives as the 'Mouth of Lighting', but oh well_, the man thinks.

Jay smiles and salutes the man before exiting with a quick sigh of relief. _I wonder what's going on. Perhaps there's a criminal out there or something. I could ask._

He turns to makes inquiries, but resumes leaving the vicinity. _Well, I would if I could. Now there really is no hope for me…as long as I can get Sensei back, I'll deal with it. Perhaps I could ask Gabe if this doesn't work out._

Jay takes a taxicab and sits in the back, right seat. A girl in her early twenties glances at him in the rearview mirror with a questioning look. _Oh, yeah. I'm supposed to tell her where to go. Dang it!_

"Well? Where would you like me to take you, sir," she smiles, pursing her ruby, red lips and tucking a few stray, blond hairs behind her ear and bats her mascara loaded lashes at Jay.

"Uh…um," Jay mumbles and fidgets with his phone, getting up a Google map to the place where his beloved teacher is buried. _Thank God for the Internet._

He hands it to her and she reaches for it, tickling his wrist as she grabs it red, polished nails. Jay rolls his eyes. _This woman is weird._

"So…you're headed for a funeral?" she inquires, making emphasis on her s.

Jay nods.

* * *

><p>"That ought to do it," Pixal smiles, setting the toolbox on the floor.<p>

Kai answers a call on his cell phone with a disheartened voice. "Yeah?"

"Guys, Jay is missing!" Lloyd shouts frantically.

**A/N: Jay may find a solution…yet there's a little problem with that. I like Sensei anyway so…we'll see.**


	6. Chapter 5: Not a Grave

Chapter 5

Not a Grave

**A/N: Thank you jaya forever (Guest), Firelce, Astrid16, I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, **RapidstarJ (Guest)** and StuffyJinx for your awesome reviews!**

**jaya forever: Feel you there. ;)**

**Astrid16: Of course! He always makes mistakes! XD I just rewrote the part from the end of the last story and extended it.**

**RapidstarJ: Yes…in one sense, yet in another…you'll see. :)**

"What?" Kai exclaims, standing up abruptly. Everyone looks at him, alarmed at his reaction, and Zane gets off the table anxiously.

"Wait! The cast," Pixal says.

"Later. I sense there's something wrong with Jay?" Zane inquires as Kai ends the conversation.

"Yes. That stubborn ninja walked out of the hospital Lloyd slept."

_Excuse me. I'm looking for a man who was buried today._ Jay shows the graveyard worker the text on his phone.

"What was his name?" the man inquires, sweeping leaves off the patio in front of a gravestone.

Jay winces at the reference of past tense and texts with chilled fingers. _Sensei Wu._

"Oh, then you're in the wrong place. His remains are in there," the worker points to a little cobblestone building and continues his sweeping.

Jay nods and walks toward it, finding it strange that the others would have had his body inside. He shivers and clutches his arms as a chilly breeze seeps through his clothes, bringing little comfort in the overcast morn.

The dismal graveyard has luscious, green grass to contradict the rest of the place of stone. Some tombstones are in the shape of crosses, some in the shape of rectangles, and some in the shape of boulders.

Most are forsaken, yet a few have flowers on each little patio, most white roses, though some are more cheerful. The lightning ninja opens the wooden door that creaks on rusty hinges and he enters, shutting it behind him.

Jay lets out a heavy sigh at the sight of several doors, each with a grey label on it:

_Open Coffin_

_Closed Coffin_

_Cremated Display_

Jay simply stares at each label, uncertain of what these mean, yet most funeral homes would not contain such things. _I'll go with the display one._

He opens the wooden door on the far left and enters into a small twenty by twenty room, cold, lonely, and silent. His footsteps echo on the grey tiles and he now notices glass cases with pots and labels lining the walls on either side of him. Every several feet there are wooden benches painted white and one little girl about twelve-years-old is sitting on one at the end of the room, facing the left wall.

Tears streak her pale cheeks and her white lips quiver whilst she holds a bouquet of Dandelions, so differently cheerful than the owner.

The child looks sick and she's wearing a black coat and dress, ankle-length and quite plain. Her hair is put in a bun underneath a black hat. She seems so disheartened, so lost, so full of sorrow.

Jay stares across from her to see a white vase with a picture of a smiling grey haired woman holding a brunette toddler. The name reads:

_In Beloved Memory of Joanna Marshal_

_1945-2005_

The lightning ninja's eyes trail next to hers and he takes a step back, bewilderment, shock, and grief flooding his wounded soul. The name reads:

_For Sensei Wu_

_We Love You Forever_

_2014_

_So that is what they did. They cremated him? Why? Why? Why?_

Pain throbs in Jay's chest as the realization strikes him like a solid, brick wall. They burned him to _ashes_. How can he revive someone in pieces? How could they do this to him? _No…Sensei!_

Jay feels the silent tears flow from his ducts and he touches the glass case where his dearest Sensei's remains are.

He sobs, a lump forming in his throat and sinks to his knees, leaning his head against it, without hope, without anything but sorrow.

If only he could scream and let it out…perhaps that would make him feel a bit better.

The torment of being unable to tell someone about it, unable to embrace his dear one, or someone eats at him.

"Is he your Grandfather?" a girl's cracked voice inquires.

Jay shakes his head. He turns around and gazes at the sympathetic and child. She opens her arms, spreading them out with a sad smile on her face, beckoning him over.

She stands up and so does the wounded ninja.

He walks with leaden feet toward her and opens his own arms, embracing the girl's thin frame gently.

She does the same, holding him tightly and crying into his shoulder whilst the door creaks open.

Zane stands in the entryway, hesitant as to whether or not to enter at all, fearing even seeing Sensei's resting place. Jay must be devastated as well and albeit the others told him to comfort his brother…how can he?

How can he comfort him, after all he's been through?

Not only that, does Zane even possess a right to come in or tell Jay anything? After all, Sensei died saving him.

How ironic, to think that the ice ninja sacrificed himself to save everyone, yet in the end, he needed it the most.

He cannot bring himself to face reality and turns to depart when a shadow catches his eye.

The candles that hang from the ceiling flicker as someone or something whizzes by, disturbing the scene of silence, save Jay and the child's sobs.

A pair of purple eyes peer through a little window at the far end which Zane spots, of a creature he knows is after Jay.

Now is not the time for mourning, until his brother is safe.


	7. Chapter 6: Digitized

Chapter 6

Digitized

**A/N: Thank you RapidstarJ (Guest), jaya forever (Guest), Firelce, CameronNinjaDragons, nya2468, StuffyJinx, Astrid16, and I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever.**

**RapidstarJ (Guest): The girl will. As for Zane and Jay…you'll see.**

**jaya forever (Guest): We always shall.**

**Astrid16: He knows who they are, and they cannot have their existence revealed.**

Sensei's eyelids float open and he meets a sight of blue surrounding him, yet he can breathe.

_I__t is not the ocean, nor any body of water_, he muses whilst white numbers appear, zeros, familiar in one sense, but not quite what he would have expected to see in his long lifetime.

_I was dead, was I not?_

He sits up and finds himself on a solid sort of blue floor…in the Digiverse.

Perhaps he is digitized into mere codes, and can get out, yet only as a droid, not anything else. Or could he? Is he alone?

Will his pupils find him? Did Zane feel that way when he first arrived here? There's only one way to find out.

* * *

><p>The purple eyes narrow and stare straight into Zane's, seeming to be sizing him up to determine whether or not he poses an imminent threat.<p>

The Ninja of Ice approaches Jay, his gaze never taken off the creature behind the window, and halts a few feet away from the two mourning people.

"Jay," Zane speaks hesitantly, "We need to go, immediately."

The Ninja of Lightning releases the child from his grip and turns to his brother with puffy, swollen eyes.

He sloppily wipes the moisture off his face and sniffles.

_"__Why? Why should I?" he snaps._

"You are in imminent peril. We must depart at once," Zane says, grabbing Jay's wrist and pulling him away.

_"__What are you talking about?" he mouths._

"Your life is in danger, but I don't have time to explain. The girl will not come to any harm, but we must leave, now."

_"__Where are we going and how did you get here so fast?"_

"The others are on their way over and I took the Ultra Dragon."

Zane practically throws the door open and drags Jay out as he waves at the girl.

The ice ninja halts in front of the door, his hand resting on the brass handle, awaiting something or perhaps straining to hear over the howling wind outside.

Jay stands behind him impatiently and shoves his brother's hand off it.

"No!" Zane pushes the door shut as the lightning ninja opens it partway.

_ "__What?"_

"Don't open it or else-"

A bright, red, scaly claw appears on the door from the outside, slamming it into both ninja, and a reptilian head reveals itself. It's tongue flickers at them. It hisses. Body tense. Eyes roving. Searching.

It spots them and simply stares for a few seconds, assessing the skills of the two, concluding it would be best to depart, yet one is injured.

It will take them. It will hunt them at will.

After all, its master shall be pleased, shall have plenty to devour, and shall be able to feed the entire group of starving, miserable peers awaiting its return.

Perhaps tonight it will have a fine meal of juicy, scrumptious flesh, and hard, jaw strengthening bones to chew on.

It will not be too easy. Zane has his body in front of Jay's, protecting him.

"When it makes the first move, make for the exit on the far left of the reptile. Get the others. Get the dragon and leave, okay?"

Jay does not say anything of course, having something else in mind other than making his brother receive the attack alone. The creature before them hisses and swipes a powerful claw at the two ninja.

Zane pushes both of them back out of reach.

"Now, Jay!"

The lightning ninja takes off down the hallway whilst the Lacerator destroys the door.

It leaps at Zane as he shoots ice that covers its forearms, and he freezes its legs. However, he neglected something.

The powerful reptilian tail swoops, sweeping the ninja's legs from underneath him. Zane falls face down, but he rolls to the left of the animal as he or she breaks free from the ice.

It hisses, enraged, and crouches on all fours whilst Zane gets up, holding both palms up. He shapes his element into two ice weapons: a katana and a transparent shield.

A heavy claw swipes at Zane's face and he blocks it with the shield, receiving the blow that creates spider web cracks on its cold surface. The ice ninja thrusts the sharp edge of the katana into the animal's mouth.

It lacerates the gums, blood gushing out onto the grey floor. The reptile howls in rage and slams a leg on the shield, shattering ice as Zane slips on the floor beneath its underbelly. He stabs it in the stomach.

It drops; limp, heavily on Zane's body. Crushes his left arm. He screams. Another Lacerator enters the building followed by a second.

* * *

><p>Jay throws the exit door open, cold wind blasting against his face, and he sprints toward the graveyard.<p>

He trips over a tombstone, but quickly regains his rather poor balance, and darts past the lonely place, to the empty parking lot.

The only one there is the Ultra Dragon. He's shifting his weight anxiously, awaiting Zane's return, yet sensing something is amiss.

He notices Jay and turns all four heads, ducking low enough for him to scramble on the saddle. The lightning ninja reaches the reigns and yanks them and digs his heels into his sides.

Jay pulls on Rocky's head and the dragon twists, unfurling his white wings and burrowing head long into the asphalt, drilling his way down underground.

_Hang on, Zane. I'm coming._


	8. Chapter 7: A Skirmish: The Underground

**A/N: Thank you ****RapidstarJ, FireIce,****Guest, I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, and jaya forever (Guest) for your awesome reviews! I'm so sorry for not updating! School has gotten crazier! XP**

Chapter 7

A Skirmish: The Underground

Zane goes limp in hopes of appearing dead to the two reptilians approaching. His arm is on the verge of snapping, already split open again from the skirmish with the first deadly animal. The one with blue scales crouches on all fours, its tongue flicking in and out of its mouth.

It tests the air. It inches forward a bit until it is sniffing the body of its companion and hisses, frothing with its malice sheathed for the moment.

The foul, carnivorous breath nearly catches Zane off guard, but he quickly recovers himself and waits, ready to create more ice if necessary. Another hiss. Breath touches the ninja's cheek as the reptile brushes its snout against his face. Slime. It tastes his artificial skin.

It stands. "He tassssstessss ssssstrange. Try him."

Zane subtly slips his hand under the Lacerator's corpse and forms an ice dagger in his left and a shuriken in his right. He waits. The ground beneath them trembles slightly, and becomes a steady rhythm as the purple reptile crouches down to Zane's face.

The ground now shakes violently, momentarily catching both off guard. The floor next to them splits open into a massive hole. A blue ninja leaps out of it, glancing around, seeming a bit confused.

_The reptile was supposed to be right here. Did he move? _Jay turns and sees it lying on top of Zane. _Oh, that's why._

With a quick up thrust, Zane slices the shuriken into the Lacerator's forearm, and pushes the body off him. He stands up and it does too. He shoves both weapons into its sides, pinning it to the door, and forms a katana and a nun chuck; then throws the latter to Jay.

"Catch!" he yells and blocks a claw with the blunt end of his weapon.

The lightning ninja catches it with a smile under his mask. _Zane's so creative. Don't get sidetracked! Focus!_

Jay swings his freezing weapon at the other reptile that charges him. He whacks it in the jaw as it kicks him into the cremation door. He falls on his back, but leaps right back up and grabs the animal's thick tail. Big mistake. It swishes it and slams Jay on the freezing tile, knocking the wind out of him.

"Where is the dragon?" Zane yells, blocking another blow and dodging a swinging tail.

A roar from below answers his question. "Jay, why didn't you send them up here? Up, boy!"

The Ultra Dragon does not answer.

* * *

><p>"Where's Zane?" Cole glances back and his gaze returns to the road.<p>

"He said he'd take the Ultra Dragon," Lloyd says, glancing at Nya. She has her hands folded in her lap and chews the bottom of her lip whilst glancing out the window anxiously. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just worried for Jay."

"Don't worry, sis," Kai puts an arm around her, "Zane will look after him. He'll be okay."

Pixal's phone rings and she answers with a rather calm voice. "Hello, this is Pixal Borg speaking."

"Pixal, it's Jay," the lightning ninja says, panting.

It takes a moment for everything to register. "Wait! You cannot speak though."

"It's complicated. Listen, Zane and I are in trouble. We need you to come right now to the graveyard in the cobblestone building. We're under it, following the electrical lines in Ninjago City. Get weapons too. We were in condition red. Now Zane's white and I'm yellow*."

"Dang it," Pixal mutters. Jay over hears, a bit shocked at those words leaving her mouth. "Are you both injured?"

"Zane's just unconscious…and needs his arm repaired again, but otherwise fine. I'm a little battered is all," Jay responds, his voice slightly monotone.

"Keep the phone on. I'll track you down," she says, turning the tracking app on her cell and a blue screen appears, a red dot in the center. She shoves it at Lloyd after putting it on speakerphone. "Have Cole follow this."

"What's going on?" Lloyd inquires.

"Just do it, now!" Pixal snaps, causing everyone to start.

"Okay. Okay. Cole, head to the left at the next turn."

* * *

><p>Zane's eyes snap open and he gasps, instantly pulling away from Jay. "Easy there, your arm was torn again and we're hiding underground," the lightning ninja speaks in a monotone voice.<p>

Zane glances around at the wires running past them, going quite far. "What happened?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. His icy, blue eyes widen and he touches his throat.

"I'm sorry, I had to take part of your voice thingy so I could call Pixal for help since you were unconscious. I'll give it back now if you want," Jay says.

Zane shakes his blond head. "No, later. Let's go."

"Well, several more came and hurt the Ultra Dragon. One knocked you out, I think. We're going to get out of here and the others are following us with a tracker on the phone." Jay glances at it and sees the screen go dead. "What? Dang it! Son of the Overlord! Now what do we do?"


	9. Chapter 8: Hearts will be Shattered

Chapter 8

Hearts Will Be Shattered

**Thank you I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever, StuffyJinx, Firelce, RapidstarJ, jaya forever (Guest), and EgyptGirl2431 (Guest) for your reviews! In response to them: yes, I will continue it. My reasons for not updating BESIDES SCHOOL…there are a few.**

"Find an opening," Zane speaks so quietly Jay hardly hears him.

"Okay, hang on just a second. I'm going to check a little ahead," the lightning ninja tells him and sets Zane down softly on the ground.

"Wait," the ice ninja grabs his arm and forms an ice dagger, handing it to Jay. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will. Thank you," Jay smiles grimly and takes the weapon.

He gets on his hands and knees, crawling forward as the roof of the tunnel lowers significantly. He hardly dares to breathe in the dark and lonely place. If the ice had been ordinary it would have melted in his hand faster from Jay's nervous sweat. The heat steaming off his body only makes him more anxious for fear of alerting the creatures lurking about. He looks up after having gone about twenty feet and sees light slipping through a crack above. He feels the edges of a metal, round lid. He takes the dagger and pries it open shoving it away, the sweet light of day, despite the overcast weather, brings him a measure of comfort.

"Zane! I found it!" Jay yells and turns to face the direction of where his brother is. "No! Get away from him!"

Two reptiles attack the Ninja of Ice, who is fending them off with a cloven sword that he had apparently just made. Jay crawls toward them as quickly as possible, heart pounding, mind racing. He already lost Sensei. He couldn't afford to lose Zane too, especially to those creatures. He screams, out of pure rage and slices the arm off the first one and stabs it in the chest. Blood gushes from its wounds and it drops, dead. The ice ninja had already punctured one in its leg, but it was still swiping its massive claws at him. Jay thrusts the dagger at the reptile as Zane leaps in front of the creature, stabbing it and shoving it aside.

"Watch out!" Jay yells.

The dagger plunges into the startled Nindroid's chest, straight through the center, partway through his new energy source. It is deep, deep, deeply within him where the bloody hilt is the only part visible.

"No! Zane!"

The blue glow in the eyes of his brother dies away and he shuts them. His body falls backwards and Jay catches him, horror, guilt, and terror the only things in his mind at the moment.

"Zane? Zane hello? Zane, can you hear me? Hello? Zane, wake up!" Jay screams and pulls the speaking device off his throat; then returns it to his brother.

He lifts Zane up, an arm under his legs and another supporting his back, and rushes toward the exit.

* * *

><p>"I lost the signal!" Lloyd yells, panic finally eating at him. "What do we do? There's no signal!"<p>

"Don't panic. We're close to where he is. Keep moving," Pixal speaks calmly.

"He'll be okay, won't he?" Nya sobs and Kai puts his arm around her.

"He'll be okay, sis."

"Don't be so sure," Cole whispers, glancing over his shoulder with concern.

"Let's just hope so," Lloyd whispers back.

"Whoa!" the earth ninja slams on the brakes of the car, screeches to a halt in the middle of the road.

"What?" everyone else yells.

"It's Jay…and Zane," Cole announces, the color draining from his face, "This is bad. Oh no. Son of the Overlord!"

"What is it?" Kai tries to see over him.

"We have to get Cyrus, now," Lloyd says. "Call him, now, Pixal!"

"What's the matter?"

"He's…dead."


	10. Chapter 9: Jay's Guilt: Zane's Fight

Chapter 9

Jay's Guilt: Zane's Fight

**A/N: School, school, and more school! It's making my head spin! _ Sorry about the slow updates! There are only a few chapters left, and then comes the sequel to 'Flames from the Heart'!**

**Review Replies:**

**I Love Jay Walker Jaya 4ever: You shall see…who knows what may come in the near future? XD**

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** Firelce: Yeah, if I were him I'd feel that way too.**

"Jay, what exactly happened?" Kai asks for the umpteenth time since they had arrived at the Borg Tower and handed Zane to Cyrus for repairs.

"No…I didn't mean to," Jay mumbles, pacing the main room with his trembling hands covering his mouth.

Tears make a constant path down his pale cheeks. Pixal assists Cyrus at the Master Computer, which controls the repairing machines in the next room. She looks whiter than usual, if possible, and moves ungracefully, yet efficiently due to her increasing concern contrasting with her programming.

"Jay, honey," Nya says and slips an arm around him.

He ceases his nervous pace, but will not look her in the eyes and simply gazes at the metal floor.

"Jay, speak to me, please!"

"I didn't mean to, really!" the lightning ninja suddenly bursts out and sinks to his knees. He clutches the fringe of his girlfriend's red, ankle-length dress.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Jay, what happened? Why are you…you didn't, did you?" Lloyd asks, furrowing his blond brows, and also quits pacing.

"What?" Kai gapes.

"Did I miss something, guys?" Cole hurries into the room, having dropped everyone off at the front of the building and parked the car.

"Whoa! Jay, are you alright?"

His brother shakes his head in spontaneous jerks, his orange-brown hair becoming more and more disheveled.

"No, I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to hurt him! Zane, I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to!" he screams.

"Move him out of the room," a calm, but stern voice commands.

All eyes fall on Pixal, and she turns back to the computer, typing away at some code. "We need to concentrate on repairing Zane. No one can interfere."

"Come on, we need to go." Nya grabs Jay by the arm, and attempts to pull him off the floor, yet he refuses.

"A little help, please, guys?" the samurai says, and Kai, Lloyd, and Cole pry him off her. Their guilt-ridden brother screams, thrashes, and kicks in an attempt to bolt for the computer.

All of them somehow manage to get Jay out of the room, _and _shut the metal door behind them. Pixal and Cyrus work delicately on removing the shard of ice from his power source with the meticulous procedure of the machines. It's a delicate process.

"Pixal, call Holly*, and bring her here with the ' Blue Titanium,'" Cyrus instructs her.

Blue Titanium is the name Cyrus gave to the material used to recreate Zane's power source when he was in the Digiverse. Speaking of which, a certain someone was waiting for the inventor to notice him.

"Yes, Mr. Borg," Pixal responds, and immediately calls Holly on a device built in her wrist.

Holly picks up after two rings. "Hello?"

"Holly, this is Pixal. I don't have time to explain, but please come to the Borg Tower, and bring two sets of Blue Titanium with you."

"What? What's the matter?"

"Zane needs them, and soon. Please hurry."

"Okay."

Pixal hangs up and returns to her creator's side. The monitor shows Zane with his chest open, gears and wires exposed. He is on a silver table with machines hovering over him, doing their work. Tiny sparks emanate from his dying energy source.

The fight for his life is draining his power rapidly. His internal, blue heart monitor is showing how severe things really are. Here he is again, fighting death, after the Overlord had killed him before. This time though, the others might be able to save him, if he lasts long enough.

* * *

><p>"Jay, honey. I'm sorry you have to go through this," Nya apologizes, leaning over her boyfriend, tears dripping from her dark eyes, "but it will be over soon for both of us, I promise. I love you."<p>

The girl in the red dress squeezes a syringe tightly in her right hand until her knuckles turn white.

*For those of you who don't know, Holly helped revive Zane in 'Digital Lockdown'.


	11. Chapter 10: Suicide or Homicide

Chapter 10

Suicide or Homicide

**A/N: I will explain what Nya did on chapter 11. :)**

**Review Replies:**

** Buttergriffin332 I love Jay: No, it's another FF. You'll see! Thanks!**

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** Firelce: Here it is!**

**StuffyJinx: Here you go! Thanks!**

The eyes of the samurai are red, and the tears that fall from her face are a fiery orange. Nya jabs the needle of the syringe in Jay, despite that he is already sleeping across several chairs in a waiting room next to Cyrus Borg's office. The lightning ninja's eyes snap open, and he sits up.

He looks at her, confused as her flaming eyes die down. They return to the beautiful, natural brown he once knew. "Jay," Nya whispers, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it! He told me it would save you!" By now she is screaming, and yanking on his arm.

"Nya, what's the—" Jay's throat tightens, and burns like fire. _This is messed up. This is all messed up. Everything is wrong. I'm messed up_, someone inside Jay struggles. He knows Zane will forgive him, and he knows everyone will. They all love him. They will accept him, no matter how he is right now.

But he does not want to be forgiven. Something changes inside the cheery, bright, humorous ninja. His eyes change from green, to fiery red for a brief moment, before they return to their dull, lifeless grey. "I have to go, Nya. I need to go and meet Sensei," Jay whispers to the crying samurai. He knows the girl in red must have been deceived, but he does not wish to know about it. Whatever that stuff she injected in him caused him to shape his thoughts into words that float off the remainder of his tongue.

Jay pries her off, and stands unsteadily. He hears footsteps echoing down the hallway, and heads for the elevator directly across from him. "Jay, wait!" Nya screams, getting up. The lightning ninja bolts for it, just as the elevator automatically opens. Several employees exit, and Jay slips in. He presses the top button, and the doors begin sliding shut. A girl with ebony hair bouncing up and down makes a b-line for the elevator.

The doors shut as Nya's pale (yet still yellow), soft hands slam against the metal. "Jay! Jay!" she screams.

"Nya, what's going on?" Kai asks as he reaches his sister's side with Lloyd and Cole trail behind.

"Jay took off in the elevator," Nya says, wiping her tear-streaked face with the back of her hand.

"We'll split up, and look for him," Cole announces.

"Just stay here, sis," Kai puts a hand on the samurai's shoulder, and then takes off down the hall. Originally, Nya would have insisted on coming, but instead she waits, staring at the panel that displays which floor Jay is on.

The door to her right opens, yet she does not see the ninja dressed in white and silver walking toward her. "Nya, are you in need of assistance?" a monotone, but soft voice inquires. The girl in red fixes her gaze on the individual next to her. The first thing she notices is those icy, blue eyes, cold, yet full of love at the same time. They have an unfathomable depth to them, kind, and afraid.

"Zane, thank goodness you are here! I think Jay is trying to join Sensei!" Nya tells him hysterically, her voice all shaky and frantic. "He said so himself!"

"Where is he headed?" Zane inquires, immediate concern overriding every other emotion churning inside him.

Nya glances at the panel, than back at the ice ninja. "The highest floor."

"Let's take the stairs. Can you use Spinjitzu yet? We practiced precisely five days, two hours, four—

"I did."

"Then let's go."

Jay:

The doors slide open.

I walk toward the edge of the building that I can feel swaying beneath me.

I grab onto the bars of the railing and climb over it.

My stomach feels giddy at such a height of seventy-five floors, but I'm determined to do it.

It's all over.

What was I thinking when I said to Gabe I wanted to live?

It was foolish.

I should have chosen death at that very moment without hesitation and I would have already been at peace.

Despite the vision of the Underworld, I don't want to live anymore.

It's not worth it.

Nya cannot love someone like me someone so messed up.

My brothers shouldn't forgive me for what I did.

Why did I strive to stay in this miserable world of pain and suffering?

I deserve the Underworld.

I deserve death.

I deserve to suffer worse things.

I deserve it all and now I will pay.

"Come back, please!" Nya screams from behind me.

I can feel the tears flowing freely from my eyes and feel a gust of wind hitting my face.

I cannot turn back.

I cannot bear to see her suffer.

I cannot bear to look back lest I change my mind.

I must jump before Zane catches up to me.

I draw in a deep breath and yell, "I'm sorry, Nya. I love you."

I jump.

"Jay!" Zane's pained voice reaches my ears.


	12. Chapter 11: Brothers Forever

Chapter 11

Brothers Forever

**A/N: Okay, I'm actually delaying Nya's explanation to the final, the epilogue which comes in the epilogue. :) Thank you all so much for your reviews!**

**Review Replies:**

**CameronNinjaDragons: Yes...or no.**

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**RapidstarJ: Yep. Thank you! :)**

No P.O.V.

"Jay!" Zane and Nya scream in unison as the blue ninja leaps off the edge of the new extension of the building.

"No!" Nya exclaims, and rushes to the edge. She grabs onto the top bar with trembling hands, her eyes shut. She is terrified of looking.

She wants to believe her boyfriend did not jump, that he is alive. If she sees his body, then the feeling of her last layer of security will be torn away. Tears fill her eyes, and spill onto her pale cheeks. A cold, firm hand comes to rest on her thin shoulder. Zane.

He does not speak, yet she can feel the sorrow like a lone iceberg, waiting for a ship to crash into it. The ice will shatter, precisely like her heart, the pain so hard to bear.

Will she ever be able to move again? Should she follow Jay? What about Kai? She is his only family member alive, and he would be devastated to lose her.

Life. It's a game to her, something to be cherished, yet something so easily taken away from her.

She opens her almond eyes, averting her gaze, and wraps her arms around Zane's waist. She buries her face in his hard chest to draw out a much comfort as possible. All she wants is to get Jay back.

"Nya…you need to see this," Zane speaks in his soft, monotone voice. The samurai shakes her head frantically, and tightens her grip on him.

Zane gently pries her arms off, and turns her around to face her greatest terror. "Look. Tell me, what do you see?" the ice ninja whispers. His pleasant voice is carried off by the howling wind. It whips at the samurai's ebony hair, something Jay always complimented her on.

Nya looks up, at the ashen clouds covering the grey, cheerless sky and the sun. Why would Zane have her observe such a thing? But then she spots it, a solitary, golden beam of light slipping through a cloud above their heads. It falls onto her pale face. It vanishes as quickly as it had come, leaving the spark of hope in her heart to die down to nothing.

"Zane," Nya sniffles, and folds her hands together, "Why do you want me to see this?"

"Wait a moment. You will see," the kind Nindroid replies, his icy, blue eyes fixed on the sky.

"I—" Nya starts, but then she sees it again. The light. This time it falls on the floor behind them. Both turn to look, and find a being. The being is in the form of a man, clothed in white, a pure air around him. His hair and his body glow with a pale light and his very presence seem to bring a sort of strange comfort to the two.

But it is not only that. In his arms is the body of a young man dressed in blue. His skin glows a healthy yellow, his auburn hair looking completely untouched by human fingers. His eyes are closed. He seems to be in a sort of peaceful slumber, without a single worry in the world.

Nya is so overwhelmed by conflicting emotions that she cannot speak. There is only one thing on her mind: Jay. Is he alive?

"Behold, this child has been granted another chance at life. It is a gift from the One above, to be cherished. Do not throw this opportunity away, and take it for granted, young ones. This child…love him, and keep him close," the being says.

Zane approaches the man, and the latter hands Jay over. The ice ninja takes his brother in his arms, and the being vanishes, along with the light.

"Jay?" Nya whispers, walking over, disbelief and hope in her voice at the same moment.

The blue ninja opens his eyes, and turns his head upward to face Zane. _It was Gabe_, he mouths, his voice now gone again.

"Yes, brother. We saw him," Zane responds, a smile on his moistened face.

"Jay, you're-you're alive!" Nya exclaims, and throws both arms around her beloved man.

He embraces her back. Zane sets him on his feet, and Nya kisses him right there for a long, long time. Little do they know as they enjoy the moment that a certain someone waits close by them.

The door opens behind them, and a kind, aged man enters, followed by the other three ninja. Jay and Nya turn to see that kindly face they have known so long. "Sensei?" Zane gapes.


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue

Jay:

I hold in my breath, fingering the velvet box in my trouser pocket as Nya ambles through the park. She is approaching me, and her every step makes my heart pound harder against my chest.

She is beautiful, wearing a knee-length, blue dress. The edges of the long sleeves have a green lace trim and the neck cut in a v line, though not too low.

It's been two months since I lost my tongue, but Nya has still loves me all the same. Though I may be mute, my family sees me as the same Jay from before.

Cyrus Borg is working on a device so that I can speak again, but for the time being, I will remain this way. Gabe spoke to me, and he reassured me I would be okay soon.

Sensei was found in the Digiverse by Cyrus Borg, and was given a robotic body. He remains with us today, the sweet, happy old man I once knew.

Zane…he is better, now that he knows his beloved teacher is fine. He and I are closer brothers than ever, and of course, Cole and I made ameds. No more drama for us, I hope.

Nya explained how when the guys took me out of the room in Borg Tower, there was a stone warrior offering this serum to her for my voice, on behalf of his master.

He did not specify who had ordered for it happen. He told her that she had to pretend to be killing me for it to be effective. We still have not caught the warrior.

I look at the dirt beneath me, how the little insects make their way by my dress shoes. I run a hand along the wood of the bench I am seated on.

I look up and find Nya stands in front of me. Her hands are clasped together, and her cheerful, red lips form into a smile.

"Hey, Jay," she says, and sits next to me, crossing her legs. She may be a tomboy, but she can be feminine if she wants to. Honestly, I have always considered her girly.

Those two words she spoke to me, I find significant in a way. It is the way I would greet her when I could still talk. If only…

I smile at her, and nod slowly. _Well, Jay, this is it. You can do it! For Nya_, I think, and stand up. I move to where I am directly in front of her, and draw the box from my black, suit pocket.

I get on one knee, and open it, showing her the silver Ring with a white diamond in the center. _Will you marry me?_ I mouth.

She instantly stands up, her ebony hair shining in the sunlight. Her bright smile is my sun, and she holds out her left hand. "I do," she says, her dark, brown eyes brighter than ever.

I take the ring out of the box, and slip it on her slender finger. I stand up, while shoving the box in my pocket. I cup her cheeks in my hands, and pull her close to me.

Our lips make contact, and lovely kiss begins. This is it. This is how my life is going to be…with Nya and my loved ones. Forever.

**A/N: Well...this is the end! I may do one later on of Jay and Nya's married life, or something. Thank you so much everyone for your continuous support! :D :D :D**

**Next up is...Glowing Embers, a Kai and Nya fic (sequel to Flames from the Heart, and requested by FireIce). The genre is: hurt/comfort/family. :)**


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